Falling in love,' we said; 'I fell for him.' We were falling women. We believed in it, this downward motion; so lovely, like flying, and yet at the same time so dire, so extreme, so unlikely. 'God is love,' they once said, but we reversed that, and love, like heaven, was always just around the corner. The more difficult it was to love the particular man beside us, the more we believed in Love, abstract and total. We were waiting, always, for the incarnation. That word, made flesh.
In this passage, the author explores the concept of falling in love and the complexities that accompany it. The act of falling is depicted as both enchanting and perilous, suggesting a deep emotional journey that evokes feelings akin to flying. The characters express a belief in love's transformative power and its almost ethereal quality, highlighting a contrast between the ideal and the reality of love with specific individuals.
The longing for a perfect representation of love is evident, as the women grapple with the difficulties in their personal relationships. Their belief in an abstract notion of Love becomes more pronounced when faced with challenges, prompting them to yearn for a tangible experience that embodies their ideals. They await the moment when their abstract hopes will be realized in reality, expressing a profound desire for connection and fulfillment.